The writing has pretty much been on the wall for a while now, every year HAI Heli-Expo saw some new project heralded only for it to be dropped the year after [210, 427, 427IFR, 417] then they walked away from the 139 [and I really still have to understand why] which leaves us with the feeling its goodbye commercial Bell are going military only now....
The press release states they are relying on the high volume production airframes up to 2010 but no mention what the jewel in the crown 407 is actually selling .... and the 429 isn't really in to worthwhile production until 2009...
The new horizon of 'the military' took some super nosedives with ARH causing problems...
No mention of that Skycar they teamed up with the Israelis for... quietly forgotten.
Not a mention of 609.... crystal ball stuff...
Very sad state of affairs.